Richard M. Jones

Richard M. Jones, born Richard Marigny Jones (sometimes written Richard Mariney Jones), (June 13, 1892 – December 8, 1945) was an American jazz pianist, composer, band leader, and record producer. Numerous songs bear his name as author, including "Trouble in Mind".

He was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, United States. Jones grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jones suffered from a stiff leg and walked with a limp; fellow musicians gave him the nickname "Richard My Knee Jones" as a pun on his middle name. In his youth he played alto horn in brass bands. His main instrument, however, became the piano. By 1908, he was playing in Storyville, the red-light district of New Orleans. A few years later, he often led a small band which sometimes included Joe Oliver. Jones also worked in the bands of John Robichaux, Armand J. Piron, and Papa Celestin.

In 1918, Jones moved to Chicago, Illinois. He worked as Chicago manager for publisher and pianist Clarence Williams. Jones began recording in 1923, making gramophone records as a piano soloist, accompanist to vocalists, and with his bands The Jazz Wizards and The Chicago Cosmopolitans. He recorded for Gennett, OKeh, Victor, and Paramount Records in the 1920s. He also worked for OKeh Records as Chicago supervisor of the company's "Race" (African-American) Records for most of the decade. During this period he was the producer of the influential Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings led by cornetist (later trumpeter) Louis Armstrong. In the 1930s, Jones performed a similar management role for Decca.

Richard M. Jones worked for Mercury Records until his death in December 1945 in Chicago, at the age of 53.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 13, 1892, Died December 8, 1945 (Chicago)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer, leader, lyricist, songwriter, arranger, vocalist, speaker

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 76-100 of 154 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W80842 10-in. 5/6/1927 Ain't she sweet? Lillie Delk Christian ; Richard M. Jones’ Jazz Wizards Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh W80845 10-in. 5/7/1927 Wonderful dream Hattie McDaniel Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, composer  
OKeh W80846 10-in. 5/7/1927 Lonely heart Hattie McDaniel Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh W80852 10-in. 5/10/1927 Sam Henry blues Hattie McDaniel Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, composer  
OKeh W80853 10-in. 5/10/1927 Poor boy blues Hattie McDaniel Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh W80880 10-in. 5/14/1927 Go go blues Bertha Chippie Hill Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, composer, lyricist  
OKeh W80881 10-in. 5/14/1927 Do dirty blues Bertha Chippie Hill ; Richard M. Jones’ Jazz Wizards Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, composer, lyricist  
OKeh W80882 10-in. 5/14/1927 Sport model mama Bertha Chippie Hill ; Richard M. Jones’ Jazz Wizards Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh W80883 10-in. 5/14/1927 Mississippi Waters blues Bertha Chippie Hill Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader, lyricist  
OKeh W82063 10-in. 12/14/1927 Sam Henry blues Hattie McDaniel Female vocal solo, with piano composer  
OKeh W404408 10-in. 10/3/1930 Heebie jeebies The Three Boswell Sisters Female vocal trio, with piano songwriter  
Brunswick E2620-E2621 10-in. 3/10/1926 29th and Dearborn Russell's Hot Six Instrumental ensemble composer  
Brunswick E2624-E2625 10-in. 3/10/1926 Panama Limited blues Ada Brown Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet composer, lyricist  
Brunswick E2626-E2627 10-in. 3/10/1926 Tia Juana man Ada Brown Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet songwriter  
Brunswick E2628-E2629 10-in. 3/10/1926 All night shags The Chicago Hottentots Instrumental trio composer  
Brunswick E3886-E3887 10-in. 10/1/1926 Heebie jeebies Royal Flush Orchestra ; Fess Williams Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick C1824 10-in. 3/29/1928 Remember me Elmo Tanner Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer  
Brunswick C2332 10-in. 9/21/1928 Remember me Freddie Rose Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Brunswick C2426 10-in. 10/10/1928 Remember me Freddie Rose Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Brunswick C2509 10-in. 11/1/1928 Trouble in mind blues Bertha Chippie Hill Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer  
Gennett 13303 10-in. 12/15/1927 Good stuff Richard M. Jones’ Jazz Wizards Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Gennett 13304 10-in. 12/15/1927 Hollywood shuffle Richard M. Jones’ Jazz Wizards Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Decca 62637 10-in. 10/5/1937 Georgia man Georgia White instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62638 10-in. 10/5/1937 All night blues Georgia White instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 62639 10-in. 10/5/1937 Away all the time Georgia White instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 76-100 of 154 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Jones, Richard M.," accessed April 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106200.

Jones, Richard M.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106200.

"Jones, Richard M.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106200

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